By Pawnee Annie

Lo and behold! The experts have come up with some answers to the age old question, “How can I prevent aging?” There seems to be some scientific studies showing that the aging process can be slowed down. In fact, knowledge of the “aging process,” and mechanisms leading to the common diseases that occur in late life is increasing rapidly!
We are a very overweight society.
 In fact, “We have met the enemy and he’s US!”
The top five conclusions to slowing down the aging process are — living a daily routine of exercise, (sitting less, getting up and moving) drinking red wine, living as stress free as possible, calorie restriction, and family genetics. But alas! So far, no strategy in man currently offers the prediction of living 120 years or more.
Here’s the common thinking, “I don’t have time to lose weight. This is just the way I am?” “I don’t know how to lose weight.” “I like to cook.” “I like desserts.” “I like my beer.” “I can’t afford new clothes.”
And the best excuse is NO EXCUSE. It’s called, “I don’t want to think about it!”
Guess which practice contributes the greatest benefit to prolonging life? You guessed it!! Calorie restriction. The studies have shown that by restricting calorie intake by 30 percent prolongs average and maximum life expectancy by as much as 30 percent.
 New studies have found that those of us who sit for long hours raise our average risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and early death.
My goodness. They are taking everything away from us!! Now we can’t sit!
Even for those who meet recommended daily levels of exercise, sitting for long periods of time boosts our likelihood of declining health. Exercising for say, 90 minutes a day, and then sitting for long periods still poses a serious risk. Sorry.
You say you sit at a desk all day? You like to watch television when you get home?
The key is to get up for one to three minutes every half hour and move around. While watching TV, stand or exercise during the advertisements — and that doesn’t mean walking to the refrigerator! They recommend monitoring our “sitting time” to two or three hours max in a 12-hour period.
So, start now in breaking the habit of sitting! It’s over! From now on I am reading my novels while standing at the kitchen counter. NOT.
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Did you know that there are coyotes living in downtown Chicago?
Is that wild or what?
In fact, the research in Cook County which includes Chicago shows that the coyotes have migrated there as they have been pushed out of their normal environment. They are very territorial, and will only tolerate so many living in an area.
There are an estimated 2,000 coyotes living in the downtown Chicago area, and they are multiplying rapidly. Why?
Although the situation is less than ideal for them, there is more food, so they have very little reason to leave. The coyote is a very adaptable animal.
They are nocturnal so not always obvious to the observant eye. Street cameras have caught them waiting on passing cars to cross the streets, using the sidewalks and other walkways, and even raising a liter of coyote pups in the top of a parking deck.
That tops the experience we had of watching a large moose cross the main thoroughfare in Anchorage Alaska. I thought THAT was unusual.
Yikes. We have a job to do! And remember to watch out for coyotes as you are exercising.

“Woman’s View” is Judi Tabler’s reflection of her experiences and events. She is a wife, mother, writer, teacher, grandmother, and even a great grandmother.